Central Pellejas

Adjuntas

Central Pellejas was established by Jorge Lucas P. Valdivieso of Ponce. It has been sometimes reported that it was established in 1907, however,
The Luisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer Volume 44 No. 22 of May 28, 1910 states that: "A new corporation entitle The Pellejas Sugar and Coffee Co. has been constituted in Ponce, with local capitalization and dedicated to the cultivation of cane and coffee in the Adjuntas district." Given the fact that the first production numbers available for Pellejas are for 1912 its establishment in 1910 is more credible.

Based on annual production, this was one of the smallest sugar mills due to the rugged terrain surrounding it and the limited area suitable for growing sugarcane up in the mountains. It is one of the few sugar mills established in a valley up in the mountain range where land is more suited for growing coffee and tobacco than sugar.

Its muscovado sugar production was sold locally and any excess was transported to Ponce to be refined at Central Mercedita where the Valdivieso's were one of the major colonos. Molasses produced by Pellejas were used in the distilling of Pellejas Rum sold throughout Puerto Rico as early as 1907. The owners of the sugar mill also owned all of the approximately 700 acres used to grow sugarcane around it.

After its closure in 1949, its machinery and equipment was sold in 1952 to Tomenzeau Sugar Mill in Haiti.

The film Flight of Fancy starring Dean Cain was filmed at the remains of this sugar mill in 2000, The "El Coqui" lettering on one of the pictures was added to identify a bar in the movie. The picture of the town of Adjuntas was taken from nearby where the remains of this sugar mill are located, the mountainous terrain mentioned above can be clearly appreciated.